A study on the cultural value of the"Qi"silk fabric with the woven inscription"An Le Ru Yi Chang Shou Wu Ji"unearthed from the Mawangdui Han Tombs
Over the past century,numerous Han Dynasty textiles woven with auspicious phrases and individual characters have been unearthed across China,symbolizing the people's aspirations for a prosperous and fulfilling life.Among them,the textile with the eight-character phrase"An Le Ru Yi Chang Shou Wu Ji"(May you have peace,happiness,and enjoy endless longevity),discovered from the Mawangdui Han Tombs,is the earliest known example of a complete auspicious inscription on a woven textile.This paper presents a preliminary analysis of the form,structure,and cultural significance of these eight characters based on systematic scientific testing,archaeological finding and historical literature.A multidisciplinary approach is adopted to thoroughly explore the cultural value of the textiles unearthed from the Mawangdui Han Tombs,with particular emphasis on their crucial role in the development of ancient Chinese textile art and technology.Comparative analysis of the textile artifacts and related ancient documents leads to three key conclusions.First,textiles with inscribed characters are an important carrier in Chinese character culture,offering both high artistic and aesthetic value while serving as mediums for conveying cultural ideals.The eight-character auspicious textile from Mawangdui is the earliest known Han textile with a complete woven inscription,reflecting the Han people's yearning for immortality and a harmonious life.This desire was central to the psychological and cultural outlook of the time,remaining a timeless theme throughout human civilization.Second,such textiles masterfully integrate Chinese characters with decorative patterns,highlighting the significant role of characters in ornamental art,especially in their widespread use along the Silk Road and in the Hunan region.Third,Chinese character-decorated textiles have a long history of advanced techniques and may have influenced textile decoration methods in West Asia and the Mediterranean,though they diverge in terms of cultural context,artistic aesthetics,and social functions.This paper aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the cultural significance of the textiles unearthed excavated from the Mawangdui Han Tombs through a multidisciplinary research approach,reinforcing cultural confidence and offering valuable insights for future heritage preservation and research.
the Han Dynastythe Mawangdui Han TombsQi silk fabric with woven charactersChinese character cultureauspicious culture
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